Gardenia augusta plant named ‘PIIGA-I’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Gardenia augusta  plant named ‘PIIGA-I’, characterized by its large, single white flowers that are produced from spring to frost, lustrous, dark green foliage, compact rounded growth habit, and cold hardiness to USDA Hardiness Zone 6b.

Genus and species of plant claimed: Gardenia augusta L.

Variety denomination: ‘PIIGA-I’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Gardenia augusta, a member of the Rubiaceae family, hereinafter referred to by its cultivar name ‘PIIGA-I’. This cultivar is grown primarily as an ornamental for landscape use and for use as a potted plant.

The cultivar originated from open-pollination of Gardenia augusta ‘MADGA I’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,988) in Dearing, Ga., and was selected from the progeny by continued evaluation for floral characteristics, growth habit, and cold hardiness.

‘PIIGA-I’ has been asexually reproduced by softwood cuttings in Watkinsville, Ga. since 2005, and the characteristics of the cultivar have been stable and reproduced true-to-type in successive vegetative generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘PIIGA-I’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with changes in light, temperature, soil and rainfall without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar. In combination these characteristics distinguish ‘PIIGA-I’ from all other varieties in commerce known to the inventor. 1) Large, single white flowers that are produced from spring to frost. 2) Lustrous, dark green foliage. 3) Compact rounded growth habit. 4) Cold hardiness to USDA Hardiness Zone 6b.

‘PIIGA-I’ is distinguished from its female parent ‘MADGA I’ by its vigor, growth habit, flower size, foliage size, fruit production, and cold hardiness. ‘PIIGA-I’ has a more vigorous and larger growth habit than ‘MADGA I’. ‘PIIGA-I’ has larger flowers and foliage than ‘MADGA I’. ‘PIIGA-I’ produces less fruit than ‘MADGA I’. ‘PIIGA-I’ is more cold hardy than ‘MADGA I’ based on field testing in Watkinsville, Ga. and Louisville, Ky. There are no other cultivars of Gardenia augusta with this combination of characteristics known to the inventor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying illustrations show characteristics of the new cultivar in photographs as true to color as is reasonably possible to make in illustrations of this nature. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Gardenia.

FIG. 1 shows the overall appearance of a mature plant of ‘PIIGA-I’.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up view of a flower of ‘PIIGA-I’.

FIG. 3 shows a comparison of the growth habit, foliage size, and flower size of ‘PIIGA-I’ (right) to ‘MADGA I’ (left).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for the description were approximately 2 years old and were grown in 11.8 L containers in full sun under outdoor conditions in Watkinsville, Ga.

Botanical classification: ‘PIIGA-I’ is a cultivar of Gardenia augusta. Parentage: The current variety is a progeny from an open-pollination of Gardenia augusta ‘MADGA I’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,988).

-   Plant description:

The claimed variety is a freely branching, rounded, evergreen shrub. The plant is hardy in USDA Zones 6b to 9.

-   -   -   Propagation.—Stem cuttings. Time to initiate roots in             summer: about 4 weeks.         -   Root description.—Numerous, fibrous, and well-branched.         -   Plant size.—The original plant, planted in the ground, was             about 75 cm high from the soil level to the top of the             foliage and about 75 cm wide after about 5 years.         -   First year stems having a diameter of about 3 mm.—Shape:             round. Pubescence: finely hairy.         -   First year stem color (young).—143A. Color (woody): 199B.         -   Stem strength.—Flexible when young, easily broken once             mature.         -   Internode length.—About 2.2 cm.         -   Second year and older stems have a diameter of about 5 mm or             more.—Shape: round. Pubescence: none.         -   Second year and older stem color.—199B.         -   Bark.—Some stringy exfoliation beginning on second year             stems.         -   Trunk diameter.—about 1.5 cm at the soil line. Color: N200A.

-   Vegetative bud description:     -   -   Vegetative buds.—Arrangement: opposite. Shape: conical,             single-scaled. Size: about 3 mm in length, about 1 mm in             width; Color: 143A.

-   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite. Length: about 5.5 cm. Width: about             2.7 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical. Apex: acuminate. Base: cuneate. Margin:             entire to revolute.         -   Texture (upper and lower surfaces).—Glabrous, lustrous, no             pubescence.         -   Venation.—Pinnate. Venation color (upper and lower             surfaces): 144B.         -   Color of emerging leaves.—144A on the upper surface, and             144B on the lower surface. Color of mature leaves: 139A on             the upper surface, and 146B on the lower surface.         -   Petiole length.—About 2 mm. Petiole diameter: about 2 mm.             Petiole texture: glabrous. Petiole color (upper and lower             surfaces): 144B.

-   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Flowers are borne singly at the             terminals. Individual flowers are showy for about 3 days and             remain on the plant for about 1 to 2 weeks after they have             senesced. Bloom period: spring to frost. Flowers are             produced prolifically from May to June, and then             sporadically until October in Watkinsville, Ga. Fragrance:             Exceedingly sweet fragrance.         -   Flower diameter.—about 7.5 cm.         -   Flower bud diameter.—About 1 cm. Flower bud length: about             2.5 cm. Flower bud shape: oblong. Flower bud color: 144A.         -   Pedicels.—About 2 cm in length, glabrous, and 144A.

-   Petals:     -   -   Quantity.—6, occasionally 7, petals per flower.         -   Petal length.—about 3.7 cm. Petal width: about 1.5 cm at the             base to about 2.5 cm at the widest point.         -   Petal shape.—Obovate to spatulate with entire margin. Petal             texture: thick, glabrous.         -   Petal color.—At peak bloom the upper and lower surfaces are             155C.

-   Stamens:     -   -   Quantity.—6 per flower. There is no separate filament             structure present. Anthers: about 1 cm long and about 2 mm             wide. Color: 199A. Pollen: produced in small quantities and             color is 8B.

-   Pistils:     -   -   Quantity/arrangement.—One per flower, superior. Pistil             length: about 4.5 cm. Pistil diameter: about 5 mm. Stigma             shape: obovate, about 5 mm in diameter. Stigma color: 154C.             Style: color is 154D, about 2.5 cm in length, and tubular in             shape. Ovary: color is 160D, about 2 cm in length, oval in             shape, and contains many (100 or more) very small (less than             1 mm) ovules.

-   Fruit:     -   -   Type/appearance.—Six-winged berry, oval in shape. Fruit             length: about 2.5 cm. Fruit diameter: about 2 cm. Fruit             color at maturity: 165B. Quantity: fruit is produced             sporadically and the number of fruit per plant varies             depending on the size and maturity of the plant. Seeds:             rounded in shape, about 2.5 mm in diameter, 164C in color,             and each berry contains many seeds, about 100 or more.

-   Disease/pest resistance:

No specific pest or disease resistance or susceptibility has been observed. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Gardenia augusta plant named ‘PIIGA-I’, substantially as illustrated and described herein. 